Fabled Lands: The MMO that almost was

Bit Tech has an interesting look at the Fabled Lands MMORPG that almost was. Authors Jamie Thompson and Dave Morris initially set out to create an expansive, explorable world with their RPG-inspired gamebook series before being hired to turn the property into an MMO. "We liked the idea of being able to freely roam around a game world, not having to run on the rails of one single storyline like in most gamebooks. In Fabled Lands you can get involved in multiple quests, traveling back and forth between cities, trading, having random encounters. Everything you can do in a regular RPG really," Morris tells Bit Tech's Joe Martin.

Though the MMORPG became mired in development hell while the pair were working at Eidos in the early 2000s, both authors are adamant that the series will eventually see the light of day in a video game format. "We'll be reviving Fabled Lands and Abraxas, hopefully," says Thompson. "We've just raised a six-figure sum and we're actively looking for the right partner. Frankly, most publishers have been slow to recognize the potential of e-books; that they can be much more than an old-fashioned book on a glowing screen. We understand both."